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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29964879">New Rules</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowLightning/pseuds/SnowLightning'>SnowLightning</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Anne with an E (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drinking, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, Mild Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:26:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,697</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29964879</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowLightning/pseuds/SnowLightning</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started when Gilbert Blythe and I made a pact to be friends with benefits and nothing more. How could I have been so stupid? Cole and Diana both told me that friends with benefits situations always ended with heartbreak. I just never expected it to be <i>my </i>heart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>84</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Don’t Pick Up the Phone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, I’m new to writing this fandom. I’ve seen the show twice through, and I’ve only read the first book.<br/>I heard this song a few times and couldn’t get it out of my head for  Shirbert FWB situation where they are both helplessly in love and so oblivious.</p><p>Song: New Rules by Dua Lipa</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Anne!” I heard Diana call from the living room. I ignored her— I knew why she was trying to get my attention. I put my pillow over my face. I wanted to scream. “Anne!” she called again, this time she was in my doorway of my bedroom of the apartment her and I shared.</p><p>I took the pillow off my face and sat up, plastering on a smile I knew looked more fake than that time I dyed my (very) red hair black, “Yes, my dearest Diana?” Perhaps flattery would distract her from how annoyed she was.</p><p>She was not amused. “Your phone is vibrating incessantly and I can't stand it anymore!” she threw my phone at me, which, luckily, I caught. “Please do something about it. Either tell him you like him or break it off—stop ghosting him, because it is so annoying.” She smiled now, matching my fake smile. “I am going out with Fred and I won't be back until tomorrow. Love you!” she called as she shut my door.</p><p>I groaned and flopped back down on my bed, replacing the pillow over my face. When I heard the door to our apartment shut, I screamed into the pillow.</p><p>It didn't help.</p><p><em>Bzzzz bzzzz bzzzz</em>— My phone just kept ringing. I knew without looking that it was Gilbert. And I knew from experience he was probably drunk, so I figured I might as well catch up. I got up off my bed and threw my pillow to the side, shuffling into the kitchen to grab the new bottle of White Zinfandel from the fridge. Pink drinks always tasted better, even if I couldn't wear the retched color.</p><p><em>Bzzzz bzzzz bzzzz—</em> He just wouldn’t give up would he? I turned the TV on, they were showing a rerun of The Office. I sat there with my bottle of wine watching Pam and Jim fall in love, <i>ugh</i>. I shut the TV off.</p><p><em>Bzzzz bzzzz bzzzz</em>— After 10 more minutes of listening to my phone, I finally decided Diana was right andit was very annoying. Not wanting to shut it off in case of an emergency and after a few more encouraging sips of wine, I answered the phone.</p><p>“Hello?” I asked, even though I knew it was Gilbert, despite the phone call coming from an unknown number.</p><p>“Anne-girl!” Gilbert slurred on the other end of the line. Yep, he was wasted, just like I thought. “Are you ignoring me? Did I do something wrong? Whatever I did I’m sorry, I just want you to be my Anne-girl.” My heart fluttered at the thought of being his, but I quickly shook it off. I could not have those types of feelings for him. I just couldn’t.</p><p>I took a deep breathe, “No, of course not Gilbert, I was just resting,” I lied with ease.</p><p>There was a pause, “Well, are you all rested?” he asked. I knew what came next.</p><p>“I am,” I said, sipping from my bottle of wine. “And on my way to wine-drunk.” I needed to keep this conversation light or I would be inclined to do as Diana asked and spill my guts—and that was not a road I could travel, not with Gilbert, per our arrangement. No matter how much I wanted to.</p><p>“Anyone home?” he asked, I could hear the smirk in his voice.</p><p>“No but—“ I was going to try to tell him I wasn't in the mood or I was on my monthly, but those things were just not true. He interrupted me before I could think of another excuse.</p><p>“I have to walk from the bar, I'll be there in twenty. I have to give Billy his phone back now. See you soon, my Anne-girl.” He hung up the phone before I could reply. 

So much for not picking up the phone.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>***</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Gil,” I gasped his name between fervent kisses.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yes?” he asked suddenly pulling his hands away from my body and looking me in the eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What are we doing?” I asked, bewildered that this evening had taken this unexpected left turn.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What do you want us to be doing?” he replied, eyes still boring into my soul.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I paused for a moment, but only for a moment, because the vodka I had running through my veins and the musty atmosphere of Josie and Ruby’s basement was greatly clouding my judgement. “Well, this is nice, and I’ve not had much luck with dating recently—“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, Charlie's a tool.” Gilbert interrupted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“But,” I continued, “I don't want to ruin our friendship with anything as trivial as dating.” His face fell, he must have thought I was rejecting him completely. “But we both want the physical aspect of this, right?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gilbert hesitated slightly, “Yes...” I looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “Are you suggesting a no strings attached friends with benefits arrangement?” he asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I shrugged. But yes, that was exactly what I was suggesting. “I think that maybe it could work out to both our benefit. All the perks without the drama or pressure of a real relationship.” It all seemed too simple, and so obvious. Why hadn’t I thought of this before. Gilbert was objectively hot, of course, but I’d never thought of him as anything more than a friend. And I was positive he did not have <i> feelings </i>for me. His excitement for kissing me was purely a physical reaction as far as I was concerned.</em></p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>
  <em>“If that's what you want Anne-girl I think it sounds perfect.” Gilbert replied, and pulled me close, kissing my collarbone. See, I knew it, purely a physical thing. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No feelings, just sex.” I affirmed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His only response was to hold me closer and slip his hand under my skirt.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Don’t Let Him In</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Anne is sad, she doesn’t handle being sad or jealous well. And once again, so oblivious .</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Anne,” Diana tapped my arm.A week had passed since Gilbert came over, drunk, but with snacks and a movie. I had given in and succumbed to the pleasures of the flesh. Plus it didn't hurt he had brought over my favorite caramel candies. I looked up from my book after Diana nudged me again. I looked at her expectantly, and she made a slight head movement that I knew meant 'look here but be subtle about it.’ I raised an eyebrow at her but looked in her indicated direction.</p><p>At first I just saw Gilbert walking toward our spot on the campus lawn and raised my hand to wave him over. Then I saw who he was with<em>— Winifred Rose</em>.</p><p>Winnie was beautiful and smart, and she also happened to work in the tutoring center where Gilbert worked. And while it wasn't unusual to see them walking together, it was the way they were so close as they walked that it seemed like there was something else going on there. Something more than work acquaintances walking together.</p><p>“Hey Diana, Anne,” Gilbert said to us as he sat next to us on the lawn.</p><p>I waved and smiled in response to his greeting, Diana did the same.Who did he think he was coming here all cheery with a gorgeous girl on his arm? Didn’t he know how it would make me feel? Oh wait, no, he wouldn’t because I didn’t tell him.</p><p>I was grateful when Winnie didn't sit, but less so when instead she leaned down and kissed Gilbert's cheek.“I have a shift at the tutoring center, but I'll see you tonight, right?” Gilbert just nodded and smiled before she walked away. I swear I could see his eyes following her as she walked away in those tight jeans that showed off her perfect ass.</p><p>“Hot date?” I asked, trying my best to hide the venom that felt like it was coating my tongue. Ugh, I hated feeling jealous. I needed to shake this somehow, remove myself from this type of situation because it sucked.</p><p>“There’s a party tonight at Moody's condo, I invited her.” Gilbert replied. “Well, I kinda mentioned it and she invited herself. You guys are going right?” I looked at Diana. I had been planning to go, but now I wasn't so sure I wanted to spend the night watching Winnie fawn over Gilbert.</p><p>Diana grabbed my arm as I was about to open my mouth and make an excuse as to why I would not be attending. “Yep! Ruby asked us to bring Anne's famous cake, she's trying to elevate it from a typical boys college party,you know how Ruby and Josie get when it comes to party planning.” She flashed her signature Diana Barry smile at me, there was no getting out of this.</p><p>*</p><p>“Hey Anne!” Ruby Gillis pulled me into a hug, her blonde curls flowing down her back.</p><p>“Hey Ruby, I put the cake over there on the counter.”My cakes had become famous since our freshman year bake sale when I accidentally put mint flavoring in the cake instead of vanilla. I had been horrified at mymistake, but everyone seemed to like it.</p><p>“Thank you so much! I’m so glad Moody let Josie and I throw this party, Jane and Tillie were getting sick of helping with the cleanup at our house. And since Moody's roommate dropped out of school and he doesn’t have any other roommates, and since he’s my boyfriend, I convinced Moody to throw a party in celebration that he's gone, because Moody’s roommate was so lame.”</p><p>I was only half listening as Ruby continued to talk about the party, my wheels were starting to turn. “So, there's a whole empty bedroom?” I asked. Ruby nodded excitedly and then went to start greeting the other people arriving to the party.</p><p>A whole empty bedroom where I could hide out if I needed, it was perfect.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>*</p><p>The party was in full swing by the time Winnie and Gilbert arrived, and I had begun to hope they weren't coming at all. I had actually been having a fine time without them, I didn’t have to pretend I didn’t have feelings for anyone or pretend I wasn’t jealous, I could just be my happy fun self.Then I saw them, I quickly turned, hoping they hadn’t seen me. Then someone called my name from the beer pong table blowing my flimsy cover. Of course, it was my turn to play beer pong, but my partner Diana, coincidentally, was nowhere to be found.</p><p>“Hey Anne, Diana said you need a beer pong partner?” Gilbert asked as we both approached the table set up with a bunch of red solo cups with a little bit of water in each. Someone handed Gilbert and Winnie glasses of punch, offering me one as well. I was already on my third glass of spiked punch, but I quickly finished this one and accepted my fourth.</p><p>I smiled at Gilbert and Winnie, trying to seem perfectly normal, but I was pretty sure my face looked flushed, that always happened after a few drinks. Winnie looked exceedingly perfect, much to my chagrin. Gilbert also looked quite good, he had on a tan vest that really brought out the green in his hazel eyes. I also noted that his hair looked extra messy, which irked me more than I would like. “Anne?” Shit, I took too long to respond.</p><p>“Oh yeah. Yes, partner, I do, “ I stumbled over my words. <em>Smooth, Anne, smooth</em>.</p><p>Winnie kissed Gilberts cheek, a habit she seems to have, and said, “Good luck!”</p><p>I did my best not to roll my eyes. Gilbert and I played the game in silence, our opponents, Tillie and Paul exchanging looks. They knew this was not normal behavior, usually we were bantering, or laughing, or sometimes exchanging passing touches of luck. Not this time, we were talking to Tillie and Paul, but not to one another. I jumped the one time Gilbert’s hand brushed mine. The only person who didn't seem to notice the tension was Winnie, who was acting as if Gilbert was her boyfriend. She gave him kisses when he made a shot and was teasing him and refilling his drink for him and wait.... Were they dating? Wouldn't he think to mention that to me? We had sex a week ago!</p><p>I needed to escape, but I couldn't leave without Diana, I had promised. So, as soon as we lost our game(my fault,and on purpose, usually I was quite good) I excused myself, got another cup of spiked punch and found the empty bedroom upstairs, closing the door behind me.</p><p>I chugged my drink, letting the alcohol seep into my blood stream, waiting for it to cloud my thoughts. I just needed to stop thinking about Gilbert. I needed to stop <em>feeling</em> things about Gilbert. It just needed to stop. That was it, no more hooking up, I had decided.</p><p>There was a knock on the door. “Anne?” It was Gilbert. “Anne-girl you in there?”</p><p><em>Don't say anything, don't let him in.</em> I was willing myself to have some common sense but I also really wanted to give him a piece of my mind.</p><p>I flung the door open, and went back to sit on the floor on the empty wall. Gilbert closed the door behind him not bothering to turn the light on.</p><p>He sat next to me, I refused to look at him. “She’s not my girlfriend,” were the first words that escaped his mouth after a long uncomfortable moment of silence in the dark.</p><p>“She's acting like your girlfriend,” I shot back.</p><p>“We're just friends,” Gilbert replied.</p><p>“The same way we're just friends?” I asked, a slight sense of dèjá vu washing over me.</p><p>“No, of course not.” He leaned in and kissed me gently, caressing my face in his hands.</p><p>I needed to snap out of this, I couldn’t do this with him again, maybe Diana and Cole were right about these situations ending in heartbreak. “No,” I said pulling away. “We can't do this anymore Gil.”</p><p>“What?” he replied, shock written all over his face.</p><p>“We need to go back to being just friends. You need to be able to actually date Winnie if you want. This just isn't fair to her.” I said biting my lip. Take the reason, please, don't make this harder than it has to be. Don’t make me tell you that I love you, and I know you don’t feel the same.</p><p>
  “If that's what you want,” he replied standing up. “See you around Anne.” He left the room and I stayed there sitting in the dark.
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>* * *</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>”Anne, what are you—“ I cut him off my pressing my lips against his and dragging him into the bathroom off of Ruby and Josie’s basement. They were hosting another party, this time it was to celebrate Josie’s birthday. “Is everything okay? Did I miss something? Anne—“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Shut up and make me feel good,” I finally replied. “Please?” I was sober tonight, I had promised to be the designated driver, but everyone else was pretty wasted. I was having a stressful night, which led me here, to Gilbert in the bathroom. “Wait, are you too drunk?” I asked while kissing his neck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No, I've only had one drink,” Gilbert kissed me back, his hands massaging my breasts over my shirt. I pressed my body up against his, the pressure relieving some of my tension that I could already feel building. His hands left my breasts, dropping to my ass. He lifted me up and spun me around, so my back was against the wall. He pressed his bodyagainst me.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Fuck,” I moaned. Even fully clothed, just feeling him hard against my leg was a major turn on. I frantically reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head, and then did the same to mine. He quickly undid his belt and I pulled up my skirt. His hand paused hesitantly at the edge of my underwear.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Wait, aren't you here with Roy?” He pulled away. Damn, I didn't think he'd seen us. “I won't do this if it's going to ruin something you have going on.” His hazel eyes were doing what they did best— staring straight into my soul.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He's nice, but a little annoying.”I tried to pull Gilbert close to me again, hands around his neck. I didn’t want to talk about or even think about Roy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Does he know about us?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Does he have to? He and I are just friends.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“The same way we’re just friends?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He wants more, but I'm not sure I like him as more than a friend yet,” I had agreed to go on a real date with Roy, but I wasn’t confident it would turn into anything.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“If you start dating anyone for real, this can't happen anymore,” Gilbert said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I'm not a cheater Gilbert Blythe, don't you know that?” I replied. He should know I don't cheat. Especially after the incident in our freshman English class when I smacked him across the face with a book after I thought he was cheating off my test. In reality he was just trying to tell me that my hair was caught in the chair.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Right,” he smiled and finally went back to kissing me, hands moving back to where they had been before. Our movements were frantic and rushed. He needed this as much as I did.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hopefully I can finish this story for next week.<br/>Don’t worry, they’ll get their shit together eventually.<br/>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Don’t Be His Friend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here’s the last chapter! I hope you like it! Lots of talking about feelings and then some light smut. Let me know if you think it needs to be E rated.</p><p>I don’t think I’ll be writing a whole second story with Gilbert’s POV, but I do have a different Shirbert story more than halfway finished.</p><p>As always thank you for any kudos and comments!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Gilbert?” I asked quietly to the dark haired boy I found sitting on the floor outside my apartment door. I had been successfully avoiding Gilbert since that party at Moody’s almost five months ago. It hadn’t been easy, and certainly not perfect, but I hadn’t talked to him (other than pleasantries in front of all our friends) since that night. At first he had texted me, asking if I wanted to hang out, just as friends of course, but I hadn’t replied. He stopped trying to communicate after a while. And now, with only a month left until graduation I had expected to never see him again.</p><p>Not that I had gotten over him. Not at all. I was still in love with Gilbert Blythe, but I figured over time that would wane, especially if I didn't see him.</p><p>“Anne,” he looked up, his eyes were red. It looked like he'd been crying.</p><p>I immediately sat down next to him, concerned. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“What do you even care? Don’t you hate me now?” he asked. That hurt me, because I did care, a lot. And I certainly didn’t hate him, I only hated the way he made me feel when we were together because I knew it wasn’t real.</p><p>“I don’t hate you.” I said quietly, he at least needed to know that.</p><p>“Really? Because it sure feels like it, Anne,” he snapped at me, but I just let him talk. “You said you wanted to go back to being friends, and I was okay with that because I thought I would still see you, that we would still hang out, and I could live with that. I could live with how it was before we started having sex, but it hasn’t been that way at all. You’ve barely said five words to me since that night, so I feel pretty stupid for showing up here, but I'm kind of having a shitty day, and the first person I wanted to see and talk to was you. So, here I am. Can we be friends again, Anne?”</p><p>His eyes were pleading with me. I hadn’t realized it had hurt him so much to lose me as a friend, but it was hurting me more to be his friend, wasn’t it? If we were friends again, wouldn’t we just fall into the same pattern of sleeping together?It had happened before, we’d stopped hooking up when I dated Roy, and as soon as Roy was out of the picture we were back in bed together, like nothing had changed.</p><p>“Anne, please,” Gilbert sounded so desperate, more than I'd ever heard him before.</p><p>“Yes, we can be friends.” I finally replied, there was no getting around it, I had it bad for Gilbert and couldn’t stand to see him so distraught. “I'm sorry I've been avoiding you. I was, ummm, busy...” I stopped talking as someone walked by, giving us a strange look, probably because we were sitting in the hallway on the floor.</p><p>“Can we go inside?” he asked.</p><p>“Actually, Diana is having Fred over soon so I was just going to quickly drop my bag off and go read somewhere...Could we go to your apartment?”</p><p>He nodded and together we walked upstairs to his place. He quickly opened the door and I dropped my bag on the floor by the entrance. He led me to his room, like he had done many times before, but instead of making myself at home I stood in the doorway, unsure if I should sit in my usual spot on his bed. He raised his eyebrowat me, so I forced myself to act normal. I plopped down on his bed, feet dangling over the sides. He shut his door and sat on his desk chair. The awkwardness in the air was palpable.</p><p>We sat in silence for a least a minute.</p><p>“Okay, so what has made this day so terrible?” I asked, needing to break the tension, it was driving me crazy.</p><p>“It's Winnie,” he started. NOPE. This is not what I had in mind when I had asked what was wrong, I don’t think I can handle giving him girlfriend advice. But, before I could stop him, he continued talking. So I either did an amazing job hiding my horrified reaction or he was oblivious—probably the latter. “She wanted me to travel to Paris with her and her family this summer, and her dad was even going to introduce me to some colleagues of his that could help me get into this amazing medical school in France. And he wanted me to commit... to Winnie....”</p><p>“What’s stopping you?” my heart was breaking but I needed to know. And I was trying to be a good friend, or at least a better one than I had been these past few months.</p><p>“She’s not who I'm in love with.” We locked eyes, <em>what?</em> “And I told her that. She broke up with me, after spending 15 minutes telling me how awful I was for leading her on when I knew all along I was in love with someone else. That was pretty horrible.”</p><p>“Who is it? That you're in love with, I mean?” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them, hope rising within me.</p><p>”Anne-girl, you haven't figured it out?” My mind was reeling. This wasn't happening. I pinched my wrist, a nervous habit I picked up as a kid when I thought my imagination was creeping into my reality. He placed his hand over mine, halting me from making any more of a dent in my wrist. “It's always been you.”</p><p>I wanted to burst out laughing at how cheesy that line was, but instead tears were welling in my eyes. How could this be real?I just stared at him. “What are you thinking? Please, talk to me Anne— I’ve missed your voice. Even if you are about to tell me that you hate—“</p><p>I cut him off, barely processing that he’d been talking. “What do you mean?” My brain was fuzzy, I needed more clarification, or maybe just another moment to process what he had said.</p><p>“I mean, I love you, Anne. I think I have ever since you hit me with that book freshman year.” He paused for a moment, looking down at his hands, “And I'll understand if you don't feel the same way.”</p><p>“I do,” I said.</p><p>“You do?”</p><p>I clarified,“Feel the same way.”</p><p>He looked up, eyes bright, and stood up and grabbed my face, kissing me like we’d never kiss again. He pulled away, giving me a confused look. “But, then why did you want to stop hooking up?” He sat back down in his chair.</p><p>“Because I thought you only liked me as a friend and I couldn't stand knowing that was all we'd ever be.” I tried to explain. It felt like a weight was being lifted from my chest, getting everything out in the open was a relief. “If you liked me, why did you agree to our deal in the first place?”</p><p>“I thought it was the only way you'd let me get close to you. You had literally just shouted to the world you wanted to be the bride of adventure and you didn't need a man.” Gilbert explained. It was all becoming clearer to me now.</p><p>“So... when I dated Roy?” I prompted, “Why didn’t you say anything?”</p><p>“You were so happy, it wasn’t my place to say anything. And you probably didn’t notice, but I was miserable. I couldn't stand to see you together, knowing when you slept with him it meant something and when we had sex it meant nothing to you.”</p><p>“I did notice that you weren’t quite the same, and that you started drinking more. If it makes you feel any better I never slept with him.” He stood up and kissed me again, this time I broke the kiss, “Wait, why did you start dating Winnie?”</p><p>“I couldn't take it anymore. I thought maybe you would be jealous and confess your feelings to me—but it had the opposite effect. Then I thought that if I couldn’t have you, maybe I could learn to love Winnie,” he replied.</p><p>I raised my eyebrow at him.</p><p>“Yeah, I know, that was a terrible thing to think and people should never be consolation prizes. Winnie already reamed me out, thanks.” Gilbert responded.</p><p>“Well, if you know....” We both smiled, “I think we might be the two most oblivious people in the world.”</p><p>“Or the worlds biggest idiots when I comes to feelings.” Gilbert replied.</p><p>“What do you expect from two orphans?” I said, and we both laughed. Maybe Diana and Cole had been wrong, maybe being friends with benefits didn't have to always end in heartbreak. “Now that we've talked for what seems like forever, and most of our questions have been answered, can we get back to the kissing?” I asked, getting up off my spot on the bed and straddling him on his chair. He placed his hands around my waist and looked up at me, his hazel eyes giving me a look Ruby would probably describe as romantic. It was something I’d never noticed before, but now that I thought about it, maybe he had always looked at me like that.</p><p>“Is that all you want?” He smiled, slipping his hands under my shirt, straight to the clasp of my bra.</p><p>“Do you even have to ask?” I responded, lifting my shirt over my head and flinging my unclasped bra to the side. Gilbert started kissing my breasts, teasing my nipples with his tongue. His hands moved from my waist to cup my breasts, gently squeezing. His erection was now obvious, I could feel it through the layers of pants and underwear that were currently hindering us. He unlatched himself from my breasts and kissed my neck, causing me to let out a breath I hadn't realized I’d been holding. I moaned as his teeth grazed my neck, and he thrust his hips up. “More,” I gasped.</p><p>“Bed,” Gilbert demanded. I nodded in response. We both stood up and kicked off our jeans, getting into the twin bed clumsily, lips crashing against each other and hands roaming each other's bodies. It had been a long time since we'd been together, so this was invigorating, overwhelming, and everything I wanted.</p><p>He lay on his back and I straddled him, eagerly seeking the friction my body desired, but the two thin layers of underwear were still in the way.</p><p>Gilbert slipped my panties down my legs, flinging them across the room and gently stroked my clit with his thumb before slipping one finger, and then two, inside.</p><p>“God, you’re so wet Anne,” he said breathlessly. I closed my eyes, relishing in the wonderful feelings coursing through me. It was sensational, and far better than anytime he'd fingered me before, perhaps it was because I knew he cared now.</p><p>I eagerly pressed down wanting more, and he continued to pleasure me. It wasn’t before long that I realized he was being neglected. I couldn’t stand for that, so I pushed his hand away. He looked at me in confusion.</p><p>“Is something wrong?” He asked.</p><p>“It’s your turn,” I replied, and pulled his boxers down, releasing him from the fabric prison.</p><p>I gripped him, moving my hand up and down, swiping my thumb over the tip. I dipped my head down and replaced my hand with my mouth. I moved slowly and deliberately, using the technique I knew he liked. He groaned and placed one of his hands on my head, grabbing at my hair. I moaned around him, causing him to let out a moan.</p><p>“If you keep going it's going to be over way too fast.” I didn’t want this to be the end, not yet. So I removed myself, peppering kisses up his body as I moved back to my original position.</p><p>“I need you.” My core was throbbing, I pressed down on his thigh, he knew how wet I was already, and getting him all hot and bothered had made me more than ready.</p><p>“You have me,” he chuckled, pulling me down for a kiss, all while lining himself up at my entrance. “This okay?”</p><p>“Yes, please Gilbert, stop teasing.” I hurriedly gave my consent.</p><p>I gasped as he entered me, adjusting myself so it felt just right. Then we moved together, the way we'd learned after many months of practice doing this as ‘friends.’ This time though, it felt so right and perfect, like we belonged together. How had I not realized this before?</p><p>Gilbert flipped us over, taking control, his hands holding mine down above my head as he moved inside me. I wrapped my legs around his back, pulling him closer. I was so close and I knew as soon as he let go of one of my hands to reach down to circle my clit that he was close too, but wanting me to get there first.</p><p>I could feel it building and building, and then I came, and it felt like a million stars exploded in my body, every inch of me was tingling.He came soon after, stilling inside of me as his orgasm ended.</p><p>A smile was permanently plastered on my face as we cleaned up and made our way back into his bed. It was only seven o'clock, but it felt like midnight with all the shades drawn and the lights off. We turned on our sides, Gilbert, the big spoon with his arms wrapped around me. I was exhausted, not just from the physical activity, but from the emotional journey this day had led me down.</p><p>I felt Gilbert kiss the back of my head, he whispered “I love you Anne-girl,” I smiled, turned around and kissed him gently on the lips.</p><p>“I love too, Gilbert.”</p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p>Gilbert POV</p><p>
  <em>I circled my thumb clumsily around the spot I knew made Anne squirm with pleasure, all while moving my hips rhythmically inside her. Feeling her clench around me as she came was enough to send me over the edge. I quickly pulled out. I had been too drunk tofind us a condom before we had started, but I was sober enough now to know how stupid it would be to get her pregnant all because I couldn’t keep my hands off her.</em>
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  <em>She got up off the bed as I took care of myself and made her way to the bathroom, covering herself with her clothes.</em>
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  <em>I looked at myself in the mirror, and I saw an idiot. What kind of person continually sleeps with their best friend while they are secretly in love with them? I sat down on my desk chair after putting on a pair of boxers. Tonight was not the night for confessions, we were both a little tipsy.</em>
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  <em>When Anne returned, her gorgeous red hair was down, flowing over her shoulders, probably my fault, I'd loosened her hair tie in the heat of the moment before. But I wasn’t complaining now. She was so beautiful, she always was, but her haircaressing her face only amplified her beauty.</em>
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  <em>“I'm glad you called, Gil.” Anne said to me as she flopped herself back on my bed. “I wasn't sure you still wanted to do this whole hooking up as friends thing, you know,since Roy.”</em>
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  <em>My heart dropped, of course thats what she thought it was, I hadn't explicitly said otherwise when I'd called her from the bar, drunk. She had been at a party, and I knew she had just broken up with Roy.I’d only called her to see how the party was, or at least that’s what I told myself. I'd met her there, but then one thing led to another and we both ended up stumbling back to my apartment and doing what we did best (well, besides fighting over our academic prowess, we were pretty good at that too).</em>
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  <em>Sober me had told myself I wouldn't do this anymore with Anne. Drunk me wanted nothing more than to just be close to her. All of me loved her, I just didn't know how to approach the subject.</em>
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  <em>“Oh, yeah, of course.” I lied, climbing into bed beside her.</em>
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  <em>“Gil, I'm so tired. Can I stay the night?” Anne yawned, already snuggling herself under my blankets and hogging my pillow. A common occurrence before Roy had entered the picture.</em>
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  <em>“Anything you want,” I replied pressing a kiss against the back of her hair.</em>
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  <em>Less than a minute later her breathing evened out and I knew she was asleep. “I love you, my Anne.” I whispered into the darkness. Maybe one day I would tell her when she could hear me.</em>
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